South Africa's sevens rugby national team, who had planned a pre-camp in Kagoshima City from the 14th before the Tokyo Olympics, had a new coronavirus-infected person on an airplane when they came to Japan, and players and others Since it was said that there was a risk of being a close contact, it was decided that the entry to the site would be postponed for the time being.

All members of the team have been tested negative at the airport.

In Kagoshima City, a total of 21 people, including 14 players and 7 staff members from the South African national team for sevens rugby, were scheduled to stay at a hotel in the city for 10 days from the 14th to hold a pre-camp.



According to Kagoshima City, the national team arrived at Narita Airport on the night of the 13th, but it was judged that 18 out of 21 people could be close contacts because a person infected with the new coronavirus was on the same plane. It means that.



Eighteen people will temporarily stay at a facility in Tokyo and will be subject to a detailed investigation by Kagoshima City to see if they are close contacts, and the team will not be able to join Kagoshima for the time being.


All members of the team have been tested negative at the airport.



According to the secretariat of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Promotion Headquarters of the Cabinet Secretariat, this is the first time that an overseas team who came to Japan at the pre-camp has been postponed to the site because there is a risk of close contact rather than infection of the athlete himself. about it.



Kagoshima City said, "I'm confused because the acceptance has been abruptly postponed. In the future, I would like to consider whether it will be identified as a close contact and the situation of the team."

Hotel to stay "Welcome will not change"

From the 14th, the Sun Royal Hotel in Kagoshima City, where the South African rugby sevens team was scheduled to stay, was making various preparations to welcome the players.



At the entrance of the hotel and in the hall in front of the front desk, there was a green board with the same uniform as "Welcome to Kagoshima".



In addition, in the underground passage for employees where the players were supposed to go in and out, photos of tourist attractions in Kagoshima such as Sakurajima were posted to entertain the players who could not go out due to the influence of the new coronavirus.



A photo of the players' faces was also posted on the same aisle so that employees could remember the faces and names of the players.



Tsukasa Ikeda, General Manager of Sun Royal Hotel, said, "For this time, the walls of the underground passage have also been repainted in bright colors. Our welcome feelings have not changed, so please come even if you are late." I was talking.